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How To Say I’m Sad in Korean

슬퍼요

[seulpeoyo]
I’m sad

Basic form : 슬프다
반말(informal non-honorific) form : 슬퍼
Negative form with 해요 speech style : 안슬퍼요

I’m sad in Korean is 슬퍼요. 슬퍼요 is really similar to ‘sad’ in English but of course it has some difference. First of all, sad in Korean only describes an emotion. 2nd, since 슬퍼요 only shows the emotional sadness, you can’t say ‘that’s just sad’.

‘Sad’ is a very common word in many languages. However, 슬프다 isn’t used very commonly in Korean. Native Koreans use other expressions more often in casual conversations.

How Native Koreans Say

However, if you talk to native Koreans, you can see they really don’t say ‘I’m sad’ often. They prefer to say ‘I’m depressed’ or ‘I’m down’ or ‘I feel bad’ in general and ‘I feel like crying’ especially when they feel so sad and crying. 슬프다 is more common when you use it as an adjective modifier like ‘a sad movie’.

눈물 날거 같아요
[nunmul nalgeo gatayo]
I feel like crying

How To Use

A: 이 영화 어때요?
How is this movie?
B: 진짜 슬퍼요
It’s really sad

A: 무슨 일 있었어요?
What’s wrong?
B: 오늘 좀 우울하네요
I’m blue / depressed a bit

A: 내가 슬픈 이야기 하나 말해줄까요?
I’m going to tell you a sad story
B: 뭔데요?
What is it?
A: 제 핸드폰은 변기에 빠져서 죽었어요
My phone fell into a toilet and died
B: 아…
Ahh…